Question about the 9 day fundamental course?

Hello…I have already completed the 5 day mindfulness tools course, I did it last year at Omega.
My question is can I book just the 4 day intensive that follows that course this year? I wasn’t able to to do the the full 9 day last year because of other constraints and the same thing will apply this year.
And if that’s okay, how do I register? I saw you needed to apply, but don’t quite understand the process. Do you need to be a ‘professional’ to be considered for this mbsr program? I don’t have the educational background but am hoping to finish this and apply it to mindful for children.
How would that work cost side because I would only need the 4 days and not 9 if I can do that?
I have already done the mbsr sounds true online and a 10 day silent retreat.
Thank You. Kindly. Preet.

Hi Preet,

Thanks for your inquiry.

The nine day Fundamentals course includes the 5 days with Mindfulness
Tools. Since you took the online MBSR course through Sounds True, which
doesn’t have an interactive component, its great that you already also took
the Mindfulness Tools program once to get some direct, living experience of
the elements of MBSR.

Since you have also attended a silent retreat, it sounds like you are right
on course to apply for the 9 day Fundamentals program now.

Kind regards,
Eowyn

Hi Eowyn,

Thanks for your prompt reply. I still have a few questions.

So just to clarify the SR401-8W is different than the SR401-9D?
And the SR401-9D meets the requirements for SR-402? So if I do the SR401-9D, then I am good for having completed the SR-402?

I have already done the 5 day mindfulness tools course at Omega institute last year in person.
(In addition, I have already done sounds true online as well as a silent retreat) so I have met the the requirements for SR 401-8W correct?

Sorry for all the questions, I am finding the online info somewhat confusing and just want to be sure I am doing all the right before I register for anything.

Thanks so much.

Kindly,
Preet

Hi again…

I don’t know if I clarified on my last email.
What I am asking is this…can I do just the 4 day intensive following the 5 day mindfulness tools (because I have have already done this 5 day course last year?) instead of redoing the the 5 day mindfulness tools course again to meet this requirement for 402?

Thank You,
Preet

Hi again Preet,

Responses to your questions are inline below in italics.

I hope this clarifies the pathway for you.

Kind regards,
Eowyn

…the SR401-8W is different than the SR401-9D?

*These are two different formats of the same course, which is called MBSR
Fundamentals (SR-401). In either format, participants receive an immersion
in the MBSR cirriculum and begin to explore its principles. It includes
being a participant/observer either in the 8-week MBSR class or the 5 day
Mindfulness Tools. *Taking MBSR as a regular participant a prerequisite to
this course.

And the SR401-9D meets the requirements for SR-402? So if I do the
SR401-9D, then I am good for having completed the SR-402?

No, SR-402, also called MBSR Practice Teaching Intensive, is the next step
after the SR-401 course is completed (either in the 9-day or 8-week
format). In this course, trainees spend a week (8 days actually) immersed
in teaching practice.

I have already done the 5 day mindfulness tools course at Omega institute
last year in person.
(In addition, I have already done sounds true online as well as a silent
retreat) so I have met the the requirements for SR 401-8W correct?

No, what you have done is met the prerequisites to be able to take 401.

Hi Eowyn,

Thank you SO much for your patience, I so much appreciate it :)))

I had no idea that these were perquisites to do the SR-401-9D.

Okay…so now that I have done the sound true online, 5 day mindfulness tools at Omega and a silent retreat…these things allow me to sign up and do the SR -401-9D which requires me to retake the 5 day mindfulness tools course again? Is this correct. I have to retake this course?
And also do the 4 day intensive?

Again, seriously, I am so thankful for something that is probably so simple to figure out.

Kindly,
Preet

Yes, you have understood correctly.

Thank you so much!! I appreciate it :))

Hi Eowyn…

Okay I thought I was done asking questions…I am hoping it’s okay I am asking this many questions. Thank you for being so patient with me (and you have been indeed been so patient, thank you))

1). Why do I have to take the 5 day mindfulness tools course again if I have already done it? (For the 9 day fundamental course).

2). Can I just take the 4 day portion because I have already taken the 5 day mindfulness tools?

3). If I do have to take the 5 day fundamentals again, Is the first 5 days of the 9 day fundamentals different than the 5 day fundamentals course I took last year?

4). I guess I am finding it somewhat confusing in understanding why I would have to take the same 5 day mindfulness tools course twice?

Okay…I hope that’s all.

So many thanks.

Kindly,
Preet

Its okay, Preet, questions are welcome.

The answer to your question rests on our practice of using what we call the
participant/observer perspective to support trainees in the process of
developing teaching skills.

Briefly, when you took Mindfulness Tools last year you were a participant.
We require that folks actually take our programs as a prerequisite to
learning to teach them. We never train folks who have not actually taken
our program to teach our program - thats a key point.

That said, we try to be flexible about how folks access our programs
because of global interest and busy schedules. In your situation, it turned
out to be the 8 week Sounds True MBSR (which has no interface with our live
teachers and community) together with Mindfulness Tools (which does) that
met that requirement to take MBSR prior ro beginning to learn to teach.

So now, you can take either SR401 8-week or SR401 9-day, which are
equivalents. In either of these of you will explore MBSR as a
participant/observer, joining in the class under the guidance of your
teacher trainer and taking that immediate, direct experience(the second
direct exposure you will have) as a basis for beginning to learn to teach.

I hope this helps.

Kind regards,
Eowyn

Hi Eowyn,

Thank you, this does help me better understand. It’s hard when you are learning online from a distance to fully understand so this does indeed clarify.
I am sure I will have more questions so thanks for making me feel comfortable with that aspect as well. It’s appreciated.

Thanks so much!!
Preet

Hi Eowyn,

I went to apply for registration for the course SR 401-9, but when I think I finished the application, it just directed me somewhere else saying I may need to submit a resume. I found it quite odd that it didn’t say ‘thank you for your application’ or anything like that confirming that it did get in. And then I logged onto umass medical school to confirm my application but it doesn’t show my application, even in the pending.
What’s going on here?
I do recall reading a lot of frustration on the boards about the slow processing as people need to book flights/accommodations and such so I am hoping this isn’t the case here.
How do I know that my application was received? And how long might it take to process?

Thank You.

Kindly,
Preet

Hi again Preet,
This latest set of questions I have passed on to our Oasis administration,
as they can access the information about your application to provide a
useful response, while I cannot. What I can offer is that many people
engage successfully with our programs and systems, which we provide with
good faith, so I’m confident that whatever the glitch was in your
application will be sorted out soon.
Kind regards, Eowyn

Thank you so much Eowyn for passing it along. Btw…I love your name, it’s very unique (at least to me).

Kindly,
Preet

Hi Again…

Is it possible to talk with someone on the phone about applications and administration questions? I find it odd that you can’t reach someone like that.
I am wondering about logistics as well. If I do get in, how do we get from omega to Garrison Institute? Is that on me or are we travelling together?
Is the program much more expensive now, as opposed to me taking it last year at because I would be ‘in the program’ now?Omega’s website is $625 for the mindfulness course opposed to the $2640 that it would cost now (I know this includes the extra 4 days but it’s so much more).

Thanks for helping me through this process.

Kindly,
Preet

Hi Eowyn,

Okay…I am looking at costs and such and am wondering about a few things. With our exchange rate, airfare, accommodations, etc., it will be well over almost at $7500 for me, for just tho Kane course, and that’s a lot of money.

Since I have already done the 5 day mindfulness tools course…can I do the MBSR online live this summer and use that as my perquisite?
And then use the 5 day mindfulness tools that I have already done towards my 401-9D? And just do the 4 day in Garrison to add to this to get this credit?
Again, i know I am inundating you with all these questions, but I don’t really know who’l else to ask. I left numerous phone messages with no response back.

Please let me know your thoughts. (Or if you have someone I can talk to, that would be so awesome).

Thank You,
Preet